As I'm fumbling with the jigsaw puzzle that is my memory I'm trying to figure out the sequence of events. I'm following Cristina's blog to pace the performances and main events, but I'm forgetting what we did on which days when it came to our free time. With the aid of the video camera footage I believe that first full night in Belgium our host family took us Antwerp. If I'm wrong with the sequence of events then sue me.
As we exited from the parking garage I look over at Pat and I mention, "Hey, that dude looks like Edric." And as we got closer, "Yo mofo! That is Edric!" So Edric et al come with us to the famous underground foot tunnel. When we get to the bottom we find out that we are not allowed to run, scream, sputten "spit" or generally act like a tourist. But I live bye the rule, "To thine own self be true." So I, being a tourist acted like a tourist and decided to write a scene for the DVD. One that would look like everyone dashing down the tunnel screaming away from the camera (quick cut) to everyone stopping short of the camera wondering how they got all the way to the 'end' of the tunnel so fast. Needless to say Pat had a different idea on the scene which turned out much funnier, but you'll have to wait for the DVD.
After our groups parted ways we explored Antwerp. We saw the Castle with the scary Wraith statue, we saw the first of many beautiful cathedrals on the trip. We went to the square with the Statue of the epic battle in which a hero tears off the hand of a giant and tosses it into the river (apparently Antwerp name is derived from this storey, perhaps it means "To throw giant hand in river" or something). We had drinks in this pub with thousands of Mary statues and other religious symbols called 11th commandment. It was unreal. It was there that my and Patrick's beer education began. There are literally thousands of different beers in Belgium with each it's own glass. Trapist is made by monks. Qwak was designed for drinking and driving. It also has a built in drunk test (if you get qwaked then I don't know for you) I think Pat and I spent about an hour drinking and filming each others last half beer to see if we get qwaked. Kriek is a ladies drink yet its close cousin (same beer without the cherry) is not. I don't give a frak, I'm one with the Kriek. And I wear salmon shirts too. (apparently straight guys don't wear pink. IMO salmon sounds more gay.) After that we went to what looked like that scene in the movie "Interview With a Vampire" where the characters go into the catacombs beneath Paris...only it was a pub called De Pelgrom. All I have to say is that the narrow cobbled streets, massive open squares and incredible cathedral, which was lit as if in day light, was all so breath taking. I felt nostalgic for a culture and place I had never seen. It was all as my imagination could conceive the beauty of old world Europe would be. I Believe that is how my second night ended. With Pat getting swarmed by a squadron of mosquitoes and I untouched. My differential beer count was aprox 4. (The count of actual bottles of different beer I sampled and not merely tasted.)
Rhoel.
posted by R @ 10:41 AM
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